Bomb damage and exterior view of south quire aisle, 1942, Exeter

Photograph showing the bomb damage and exterior view of south quire aisle, 1942, Exeter

This photograph taken from outside the building is a record of the damage to the chapel before rubble had been removed. In the centre of the image is one of the 14th century columns of the Quire, still standing and supporting the vault above. A surprising shaft of sunlight shines through the gap onto the opposite column on the north side of the Quire. The template of 16 clustered shafts of Purbeck stone forming each column is consistent through the length of the building. Scaffolding was erected soon after the bombing to support the surviving walls and the vaulting of the South Quire Aisle. Further temporary weatherproofing measures were put in place after this photograph was taken.

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Exeter Cathedral Bomb Damage